Monday's Afternoon Update

What You Need to Know About Florida Today

From Miami's major league Marlins, to Pensacola's minor league Blue Wahoos, expensive new stadiums are opening this week. Each of those teams is betting big on Florida's future. In Miami, the $634 million, retractable-roofed monument dubbed Marlins Park is referred to as a "Florida theme park' in this New York Times review. “The architecture’s exquisite, beautiful, well built, colorful, innovative, dazzling, whatever you want to say,” said Jeffrey Loria, the Marlins’ owner. “It’s what we needed. It’s a building with contemporary feeling -- looking forward, not backwards.” Opening night for the Marlins is Weds., April 4.

Existing customers love your solutions and tell you how great they are all the time. Yet, sales growth has stalled. Is it the economy or maybe a new competitor? Perhaps your website and promotional material could use some eye-popping graphics. It could be that your offer needs a bit of tweaking... continued.Florida Trend's business coach Ron Stein

In Pensacola, the Blue Wahoos' stadium went from eyesore to landmark in a $20 million refurbishment some have called "stunning to see." On Thursday night, the Blue Wahoos will make their debut at the Community Maritime Park as the Double-A baseball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. More about the Wahoos new stadium at the Pensacola News-Journal.

Should your small business use Pinterest?

Pinterest -- the widely popular new social media -- operates like a virtual pin board of sorts. Users can upload, sort, save and manage photos, videos and other content on pages known as pinboards. Small businesses are discovering and using Pinterest to create and engage with a community of followers. Through Pinterest, businesses can tell their unique story and build brand loyalty through creative boards. Hospitality businesses such as hotels and restaurants can share design elements, recipes or local tips that speak directly to followers.
More from the Miami Herald.

As Orlando's economy revs up, so does its traffic

Traffic started picking up on Central Florida roads around the holidays and has grown worse, frustrated real-estate appraiser Brian Roper says. "My opinion is, traffic is getting horrendous," said Roper, 32. Experts have an explanation: As the region's economy heals, more residents are getting back to work and out on the roads. "If you follow the economy or your retirement portfolio, [traffic] congestion tends to follow the economy," said Bill Eisele, a research engineer at the Texas Transportation Institute.
More from the Orlando Sentinel.

Small Biz Advice
Relating to employees

So much of my job is coaching and mentoring the management of both for-profit and not-for-profit businesses. It is really not surprising to me that both types of businesses share a similar set of problems, all rooted in the managers' lack of emotional intelligence, which is an inability to relate to or empathize with staff... Continued.

High joblessness in the home of U.S. space flight

When the last space shuttle took off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in July -- when the crowds left and 7,000 space center workers lost their jobs -- what happened to Brevard County, Florida? CBS' television show 60 Minutes took on this topic in a program titled "A Hard Landing," which aired last night. The video report tells the story of a county struggling with the loss of its largest employer and of former shuttle workers who miss both the paycheck and the deep pride they had in their work. Video is below (it's 12 minutes):

? Florida's quincentennial ?

A Tarpon Springs artist's painting is chosen to help celebrate Florida turning 500

Christopher Still, an artist renowned for painting portals to the past, has once again created a work of art to celebrate Florida's unique place in history. Last week, Still's submission to the Viva Florida 500 poster contest was unveiled during a ceremony in Tallahassee. Viva Florida 500 is the name of the state's quincentennial celebration to commemorate Juan Ponce de Leon's east coast Florida landing in 1513, when he named the land La Florida for its lush landscapes. Read more at the Tampa Bay Times.
[Image courtesy Christopher Still]